Our Desserts

Easy Eclairs

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons hot water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Grease a cookie sheet. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water.

Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely.

Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt.

Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball.

Remove from heat.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition.

With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Fold whipped cream into pudding.

Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife.

Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.

For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.

Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency.

Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs.

Refrigerate until serving.

Black Forest Pudding Cake

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained, quartered
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 cup Kirsch or maraschino cherry juice
Ice cream, if desired
Whole maraschino cherries, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F.

Grease 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish; set aside.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in bowl.

Add milk, butter and vanilla; mix well.

Stir in 1/2 cup cherries.

Spread batter into prepared dish.
Combine hot water, chocolate syrup and Kirsch in 2-cup glass measure.

Pour evenly over batter.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is set and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan.

Let stand 15 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Garnish with whole maraschino cherries, if desired.

German Chocolate Pie

1 pie crust unbaked
4oz. German sweet chocolate chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 small can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup coconut flaked
1/2 cup pecans chopped

In a saucepan over low heat melt butter and chocolate.

Remove from heat stir in evaporated milk set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine sugar, cornstarch and eggs mix well.

Stir in chocolate mixture, 1 cup coconut and vanilla.

Pour into pie crust sprinkle with remainder of coconut and pecans.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Cheesecke Layer:

Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Red Velvet Cake Layer:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup (two 1-ounce bottles) red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted lightly to remove any lumps
Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Prepare the cheesecake layer:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large roasting pan on the lower third rack of the oven. Place a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Wrap a double layer of foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan (you want to seal it so the water from the water bath doesn't seep into the pan).

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese- blend until it is nice and smooth and creamy. Mix in sugar and salt and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Finally, mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan into the roasting pan in the pre-heated oven. Carefully pour the hot water from your kettle into the roasting pan (it will fill the pan surrounding the cheesecake).

Pour enough water so that there is about an inch of water coming up the foil along the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. It should be set to the touch and not jiggle. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. When it has cooled, place the pan into the freezer and let the cheesecake freeze completely. This can be done in several hours- or overnight.

Prepare the cake layers:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round metal baking pans (or spray with nonstick baking spray with flour). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar to the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans, then invert cakes onto a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the frosting:

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy (do not over beat).

Assemble the cake:

Place one cake layer into the center of a cake plate or platter. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the sides of the pan, and slide a knife under the parchment to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Peel off the parchment. Measure your cheesecake layer against the cake layers. If the cheesecake layer turns out to be a slightly larger round than your cake, move it to a cutting board and gently shave off some of the exterior of the cheesecake to get it to the same size as your cake layers. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer. Place the 2nd cake layer on top of the cheesecake.

Frost the cake:

Apply a crumb coat layer to the cake- use a long, thin spatula to cover the cake completely with a thin and even layer of frosting. Be sure to wipe off your spatula each time you are about to dip it back into the bowl to get more frosting (this way you won't be transferring any red crumbs into the bowl of frosting). Don't worry at this point about the crumbs being visible in the frosting on the cake. When your cake has a thin layer of frosting all over it, place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to “set” the frosting.

Once the first layer of frosting is set, apply the 2nd layer. Start by adding a large scoop of frosting onto the top of the cake. Use a long, thin spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top and then spread it down the sides of the cake too. Because you applied a crumb-coat layer, you shouldn't have any red crumbs floating around in the final frosting layer. Decorate, as desired. I recommend white chocolate shavings

Caramel Banana Cake Roll

For the cake :

1 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

For the Filling:

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping

For the Topping:

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoon fat-free caramel ice cream topping

For the Cake:

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray with waxed paper and coat the paper with non stick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs for 5 minutes; add 1/2 cup sugar, banana, vanilla and lemon peel. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually beat in remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form.

Add flour mixture to banana mixture; mix gently until combined.

Fold in egg white mixture.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Cool 5 minutes.

Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners sugar.

Gently peel off waxed paper.

Roll up cake in towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

NOTE:

Once the roll is cooled, un roll the cake.